Top 10 anti tank guided missiles

“Taking a tank” is not an easy job but yeah some ATGMs (Anti Tank Guided Missiles) around the world are capable to enhance the ground maneuver battles. Which of these missiles works best? The answer is that it depends. However, this time we are with a list of deadliest missiles intended to destroy a tank.

10. Nag (India):

One of the deadliest Fire-and -Forget anti tank guided missile of India. Developed by Defence and Research Developed Organization (DRDO), this virtually jam-proof missile ensures a high-hit accuracy in both top- and front-attack modes. The Nag is visible only during the first one second of flight, when the missile’s booster imparts 90% of the momentum; after that, a sustainer maintains the missile’s speed, burning a smokeless propellant that is practically invisible.

9. Kornet (Russia):

Developed to deal with future generations battle tanks, this ATGM was developed by KBP Instrument Design Making Bureau, Tula, Russia which includes a thermal sight to fire at night and in adverse conditions. It can engage current and future tanks equipped with explosive reactive armor, fortifications, hostile manpower, slow flying, waterborne and other targets.

8. Spike (Israel):

One of the most sexiest anti tank guided missile developed by Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems (RADS). Based on the principle of Fire, Observe and Update, it has a common system architecture providing medium, long and extended long range precision attack capability for infantry, mobile, airborne and sea-based applications.

7. Brimstone (United Kingdom):

Developed by Matra Defense and BAe Dynamics (MBDA), it is a highly effective, all-weather, autonomous missile that uniquely offers the capability to engage targets in the deepest parts of the battlefield beyond the range of other systems. Brimstone has a Tandem Shaped Charge (TSC) warhead that employs a smaller initial charge, designed to initiate reactive armor, followed by a larger, more destructive charge, designed to penetrate and defeat the base armour.

6. TOW (United States of America):

Acronym of Tube-launched Optically-tracked Wire command data link, this missile was developed by Hughes Aircraft Company. It is designed to defeat armored vehicles and other targets such as field fortifications from ranges up to 3,750 meters. The weapons operator uses a telescopic sight to view a point on the target and then fires the missile. The missile has a two-stage ATK (Alliant Techsystems) solid propellant rocket motor.

Also See

Developed by Raytheon Company, M-47 is a shoulder-fired, medium range, command, wire-guided anti tank missile. Designed to be carried and fired by an individual gunner, this missile had a range of up to 3281 feet (1000 meters) and required 11.2 seconds flight-to-target time. This was a recoiless weapon, i.e. the launcher did not “kick” when fired per se, but the sudden loss of the 30 lb missile from ones shoulder caused many soldiers to flinch badly enough to lose their track of the target resulting in a missile grounding.

4. Javelin (United States of America):

This missile with lock-on before launch and automatic self-guidance was developed by Texas Instruments. The missile is ejected from the launcher so that it reaches a safe distance from the operator before the main rocket motors ignite; a “soft launch arrangement”. The Javelin consists of a missile in a disposable launch tube and a reusable Command Launch Unit (CLU) with a trigger mechanism and the integrated day/night sighting device for surveillance, and target acquisition and built-in test capabilities and associated electronics.

3. Predator (Israel):

Developed by Lockheed Martin and Israel Military Industries, Predator is quick, effective and simple to use. The gunner points and shoots the weapon in the same way as firing a rifle. The Predator can be fitted with either an HEDP anti-bunker warhead (in which case it is known as the MPIM-SRAW or Predator-AB), or the standard top-attack EFP warhead. This missile uses a a pre-launch system where the gunner tracks the target three seconds before launch and the internal system measures target speed and direction.

2. Maverick (United States of America):

The Maverick is a tactical, air-to-surface guided missile designed for close air support, interdiction and defense suppression mission. It provides stand-off capability and high probability of strike against a wide range of tactical targets, including armor, air defenses, ships, transportation equipment and fuel storage facilities. Mavericks played a large part in the destruction of Iraq’s significant military force.

1. Hellfire (United States of America):

The development of the Hellfire Missile System began in 1974 with the U.S. Army requirement for a “tank-buster”, launched from helicopters to defeat armored fighting vehicles. Between 2001 and 2007, the U.S. has fired over 6,000 Hellfires in combat. The US military has found the missile effective in urban areas as the relatively small warhead reduces the risk of civilian casualties.